One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables is to roast them. It doesn’t take very long, only about 15 minutes after the oven is preheated, and you don’t have to wash any pans if you use parchment paper.
The best reason is the intense flavor that roasting provides. The beans remain slightly crisp, but become lightly charred in spots, creating a delicious, caramelized, salty and spicy treat.
All you need to add is a bit of olive oil, salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper. The pepper is the key to giving them that spicy kick. It’s so simple, you can pop them in the oven while you prepare other foods.
You can roast pretty much any vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, onions, eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, etc. Experiment with your favorites and hopefully you and your family will end up eating more vegetables, which is always a good thing.
Roasted Green Beans
Servings: 4
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Add parchment paper to a large sheet pan, and toss the green beans with the oil, salt and pepper, spreading them evenly over the pan.
Roast for 10 minutes, and stir the beans to prevent browning too much on one side. Continue roasting for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir and let cool for a couple of minutes. Taste to adjust seasonings.